Miami – It wasn’t just the South Florida humidity that had Rockies closer Brian Fuentes sweating bullets Saturday night.
The one-out, bases-loaded jam he somehow managed to wiggle out of in the ninth inning had a lot to do with it.
Usually the reliever nicknamed “T-Rex” is the strong, silent type. Not Saturday. When he clinched Colorado’s 8-7 win over the Marlins, he let out a scream as his teammates swarmed him.
“That was a little bit more exciting than I wanted it be,” Fuentes said after the Rockies won their third straight game. “There was a lot of emotion, especially after the game (Friday) and how things went. But this turned out good. Sometimes you kind of welcome adversity because it makes you stronger.”
Although the Rockies won 3-2 in 10 innings Friday night, Fuentes blew his first save since July 22, ending his streak of 21 conversions. He was in deep trouble again Saturday night but reached for his trusty changeup and got pinch-hitter Chris Aguila to pop up to second. He then struck out Reggie Abercrombie on three pitches to end the game.
Saturday’s contest was akin to recreational softball, complete with lots of hits, runs and errors. The Marlins booted the ball a season-high four times, one error short of the franchise record.
The Rockies, who improved to 9-3 on the road, pounded out 13 hits. As it turned out, they needed all of them.
“This shows growth on our side,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “I think that in the past, like last year, we were the team making mistakes. I thought we capitalized in pretty good fashion tonight, and that’s the sign of a team that’s getting better.”
The Rockies got seven doubles, two from Matt Holliday, who also had a triple. When Cory Sullivan doubled in the seventh to score Luis Gonzalez, it gave Colorado a seemingly comfortable 8-5 lead. But the Rockies’ usually reliable bullpen faltered in the eighth. Although Miguel Asencio provided relievers Ray King and David Cortes with some needed rest by pitching three innings, he gave up a two-run homer to Josh Willingham to make it 8-7.
The Rockies managed to hold on when Jose Mesa blanked the Marlins in the eighth, despite giving up a double to Miguel Olivo. Enter Fuentes and his too-close-for-comfort ninth.
For Rockies starter Josh Fogg, Saturday will no doubt be remembered as the game he threw away. Thanks to the Rockies’ four-run third – powered by a two- run homer by Garrett Atkins – Fogg was handed a 5-1 lead in the fourth. But he imploded, and what looked to be a Rockies’ romp quickly turned into a wild affair.
Fogg’s throwing error to third after scooping up a sacrifice bunt by the Marlins’ Sergio Mitre allowed Abercrombie and Matt Treanor to score. Fogg’s wild pitch later in the inning gave the Marlins another run. By the time the ugly inning was over, it was a 5-5 ballgame.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
